Yolanda Barber-Billie, Hair Emporium Plus
Yolanda Barber-Billie, owner of Hair Emporium Plus, a beauty supply store in Elk Grove. Roberta Alvarado, OBSERVER
For Yolanda Barber-Billie, the inspiration behind opening her beauty supply store in Elk Grove, Hair Emporium Plus, was to inspire her children to become business owners.
“It worked,” she says. “My daughter is going to open up a private practice, and my son is actually going to open up a store in Arkansas.”
When you walk into Hair Emporium Plus, you are greeted by an organized and welcoming retail environment. Hair bundles line the walls, enticing customers to try something new.
Another critical factor in opening the store was the lack of options in the area. The Black community in Elk Grove had to travel farther to get the products they used. Since its opening in May 2023, the reception has been quite positive as people find her store when they do a Google search for products they are looking for. Repeat customers give Hair Emporium Plus all the feedback needed to know it is doing something special in Elk Grove.
In addition to the retail space, Hair Emporium Plus has a salon for hair stylists. It is used by Theresa Martin, a hair braider specializing in alopecia. “She’s like a magician when it comes to hair,” Barber-Billie shares. Hair Emporium Plus is also looking for a loctician and stylist to round out the salon space because people want to shop for products and get their hair done.
Hair Emporium Plus focuses on stocking Black hair products by Black entrepreneurs. Earlier this year, Barber-Billie traveled to Atlanta to make contacts with brands and meet young Black female entrepreneurs in the industry. She met with the owner of a brand she currently stocks, ESHA, who remembered her because Hair Emporium Plus was one of her first customers. Getting to know owners helped put the products on her shelves and give customers options in-store.
Being in business has its ups and downs. While some suppliers will not sell to Black beauty supply stores, Barber-Billie has had a good business experience, partly due to the customers and fellow entrepreneurs in the area. Charlene’s Beauty Supply is pretty close, and both owners clearly state that they are not competing. “Our objective,” says Barber-Billie, “is for both stores to succeed and be helpful to the community.” They refer customers to the other if they are out of products to help them get what they need.
Both Haynes and Barber-Billie believe in the power of Black ownership and being an example for their communities.
Charlene’s Beauty Supply
8694 Elk Grove Blvd. No. 5; 916-829-4137
Hair Emporium Plus Beauty Supply & Salon
7440 Laguna Blvd. No. 106; 279-333-7596
This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship Lab. The Lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.
